Do Uninsured Motorist Claims Raise Your Rates?

Last Updated on February 5, 2026

Uninsured motorist coverage can be a financial lifesaver after you’re hit by a driver with no insurance. But many drivers worry about the tradeoff: Will filing an uninsured motorist (UM) claim raise my car insurance rates?

The honest answer is: often no (especially when you’re clearly not at fault), but sometimes it can — either directly (where allowed) or indirectly (like losing a discount or being affected by broader pricing changes at renewal). Here’s how it works and what to do if your premium changes after a UM claim.

• In many cases, an uninsured motorist (UM) claim won’t raise your rates the way an at-fault collision claim typically does—especially when you’re clearly not at fault.
• Your premium can still increase indirectly if you lose a claims-free or good-driver discount, or if your insurer applies broader rate increases at renewal.
• State laws and insurer practices vary—some states restrict surcharges for not-at-fault accidents, but definitions and exceptions matter.
• If your rate jumps after a UM claim, ask your insurer what changed (discount removal vs. surcharge vs. base rate) and compare quotes from other carriers.

Do Uninsured Motorist Claims Raise Your Rates?

In many cases, a UM claim does not raise your rates the way an at-fault accident claim usually does. UM claims are typically treated as not-at-fault losses, such as:

• A hit and run where the other driver is never identified
• A crash with a driver who doesn’t have car insurance

However, “won’t raise your rates” isn’t a universal promise. Whether your premium changes depends on your state’s rules, your insurer’s pricing practices, and the details of the loss.

When Your Premium Might Increase After a UM Claim

Even if you weren’t at fault, you may see a higher premium at renewal for reasons that are easy to mistake as a “UM surcharge.” Common causes include:

• You lose a discount: Some insurers tie discounts to being claim-free, even if the claim wasn’t your fault (more on this below).
• Multiple claims in a short period: Some companies view frequent claim activity (even not-at-fault) as a higher-risk signal.
• Broader rate changes: Your insurer may increase rates in your area due to repair costs, medical costs, theft, weather losses, and overall claim trends — regardless of your UM claim.
• Fault is disputed: If there’s any shared responsibility, the claim may be rated differently than a clean not-at-fault UM claim.

Even when a UM claim impacts your premium, it’s usually less severe than an at-fault collision claim. For comparison: how much will your rates rise after a collision claim.

And as a reminder: if you are at-fault for an accident, that’s when significant surcharges are most common.

Some States Limit or Forbid Surcharges for Not-at-Fault Claims

State laws matter a lot here. Some states restrict when insurers can surcharge drivers for not-at-fault accidents or certain claim types. For example, California’s rules under Proposition 103 are often cited as providing protections for drivers when they’re not principally at fault, including situations involving uninsured motorists.

Georgia is another commonly cited example of a state that restricts premium surcharges for drivers who are not at fault in a multi-vehicle accident: car insurance surcharge.

Important: Even in states with protections, exceptions and definitions matter (for example, how fault is determined, claim frequency, and whether the accident is “chargeable”). If you’re unsure, ask your insurer to explain whether your UM claim was considered chargeable under your state’s rules.

Why Your Rate Can Change Even If the Insurer Didn’t “Surcharge” You

Insurance pricing is based on a mix of personal factors and company-wide pricing updates. So if your premium went up after a UM claim, it may have nothing to do with that single incident.

Some common rating factors include:

• Your age
• Your driving record
• The type of car you’re insuring
• Where the car is garaged and how often it’s driven
• How you use your car, including average mileage

If your premium jumped and you think the UM claim is the reason, call your insurer and ask for a clear explanation of what changed (discount removal, rating tier, base rate increase, etc.).

Will a UM Claim Make You Lose Your Good Driver Discount?

Possibly. One of the most common “hidden” reasons drivers see a higher premium after a UM claim is that they lose a discount that requires them to be claim-free.

For example, some insurers connect safe-driver pricing to being claims-free for a set period. If a UM claim breaks your claim-free streak, your premium can rise even though you weren’t at fault.

This is also where the details matter: some insurers only penalize chargeable claims; others treat any paid claim as breaking the claim-free discount. If you’re worried about losing the discount, ask your insurer how long claims remain relevant: within the last five years.

If you do qualify for a discount today, protect it when you can: good driver discount.

Uninsured vs. Underinsured Motorist Coverage

UM claims usually involve a driver with no coverage. Underinsured motorist (UIM) claims involve a driver who has insurance — just not enough to cover your losses. These coverages are related but not identical, and rules vary by state and policy form: Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Is UM/UIM Required Where You Live?

Some states require UM/UIM, some require insurers to offer it (and you must reject it in writing), and some make it optional. Because the rules change and are state-specific, the most reliable approach is to confirm your state’s requirements and your own policy limits before you need to use them.

If you want to check your state’s broader auto insurance requirements, start here: in the US.

Even when optional, UM/UIM is often worth considering. Uninsured driving is still common — recent industry estimates put the national uninsured driver rate at more than one in seven drivers. If you’re curious about your state specifically, see: have no car insurance.

What to Do If Your Rates Increased After a UM Claim

If your premium rose after a UM claim, take these steps before you assume the claim “raised your rates”:

• Ask what changed: Was it a discount removal, a rating-tier change, or a base-rate increase?
• Confirm fault status: Make sure the claim is coded as not-at-fault where appropriate.
• Check for discount reinstatement: Some discounts return after a period or after claim recovery/subrogation.
• Compare quotes: Different insurers treat not-at-fault claims differently.
• Keep perspective: A UM claim is typically less punishing than many other claim types, like a collision claim — and often comparable to concerns like comprehensive coverage claim handling in some states.

FAQs on Uninsured Motorist Claims and Rate Increases

Final Word on Uninsured Motorist Claims

Most of the time, a single uninsured motorist claim won’t raise your rates the way an at-fault accident would. But you can still see a higher premium due to discount changes, repeated claims, disputed fault, or general rate increases at renewal.

If you’re surprised by an increase, call your insurer and ask for the exact reason — then shop around if the new price doesn’t make sense for your driving history.